Toasting with wine (Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash)
NEW YORK — Drinking responsibly is good advice at any age, but it turns out most people don't start listening until their 30s! A new poll finds the average American hits their “era of moderation” at 29 years-old.
The survey of 2,000 American wine drinkers over 21 reveals that 86 percent agree that drinking alcohol is the activity where they apply moderation the most. Beyond that, food and snacks (70%), shopping (65%), and socializing (49%) were some of the most important areas in life to practice moderation.
Though it may be the most wonderful time of the year, the holiday season is also the busiest, as the top behaviors Americans struggle to moderate are their spending (47%), snacking (43%), and drinking (29%). During the holiday season, Americans also dedicate nearly four hours to both socializing (3.6 hours) and time spent on relationships and friendships (3.6 hours).
When it comes to other aspects of their lives, respondents will dedicate a little more than three hours (3.4) to travel and nearly three hours (2.7) to their alcohol and wine intake.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of wine preservation system Coravin, results reveal that the holiday season also brings about the start of “wine season,” as many respondents sip the most glasses during the winter (34%).
The top three people who would be considered worthy of sharing that bottle include a friend (51%), their mom (30%), or a sibling (28%).
“We’ve all heard the saying, ‘everything in moderation.' And the survey proves just that — Americans are prioritizing their favorite things, without going to extremes,” says spokesperson Greg Lambrecht, Founder and Inventor, Coravin Inc., in a statement. “With the holidays and ‘wine season’ quickly approaching and as families gather, it’s important to remember that moderation is still key.”
Though a little more than half (57%) already have a go-to drink for certain seasons, two-thirds (66%) crave more variety in their drink preferences.
During the summer, respondents are most likely to drink either Moscato (17%) or rosé (16%). Similarly, respondents opt for those same two options during the spring (15% and 16%), but respondents are more likely to break out a bottle of merlot (11%) during the fall.
Looking at year-round preferences, rosé is ranked queen of the wines, as 21 percent called it their favorite wine to drink. That was followed up by two white wines in Moscato (20%) and chardonnay (12%). Merlot (8%) and cabernet sauvignon (8%) also crack the top five. At the end of the day, however, 71 percent agree that quality is better than quantity when it comes to wine.
“Results revealed that 47% of respondents are wary of purchasing high priced wines in fear that they won’t like it,” says Lambrecht. “Adding variety to your drink preferences doesn’t need to break the bank.”
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 Americans 21+ who drink wine was commissioned by Coravin between Oct. 12 and Oct. 17, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
